Sanitary chin-support.



T. E. KIRKPATRICK. SANITARY CHIN SUPPORT. APPLIOA-TION FILED JUNE 10, 1912.

Patented Feb. 4,- 1913.

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T. B. KIRKPATRICK.

SANITARY CHIN SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 191

1,0 5 1,8963 Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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SANITARY CHIN-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

Application filed June 10, 1912. Serial No. 702,922.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS E. KIRK- PATRICK, citizen of the United States, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Chin-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for insuring correct and proper breathing during sleep and more particularly to chin supporting devices arranged to give a yielding support to the chin, causing the wearer to sleep with the mouth closed and consequently to breath through the nose.

As is well known practically all diseases of the lungs, throat and nose, can be cured, or at least greatly benefited if the patient will breathe through the nose at all times. Vith many people however, this is absolutely impossible while sleeping unless some device is employed for holding the patients mouth closed. Heretofore this 'has been frequently done by the application of bandages but with indifferent results, due to the displacing of the bandage during sleep and its discomfort to the wearer, particularly during warm weather.

A further object of my invention therefore is to provide a chin supporting device which may be readily applied and comfortably worn and which will not unnecessarily interfere with the movements of the person wearing the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which, while itsupports the chin does not absolutely prevent the opening of the mouth, and which may be readily removed.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a resilient frame arranged to be po sitioned over the breast and about the neck of the wearer and so formed as to fit with comparative looseness so as to cause no discomfort to the wearer.

With these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved chin supporting device; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device, showing its manner of application; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the manner of securing the chin supporting member proper to the resilient frame of the device; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of construction, additional braces or springs being modified therein; Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section of the form shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 4, showing the form of sleeve construction employed in securing adjacent portions of the frame forming wire together.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and inclicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The preferred embodiment of my invention includes a resilient frame 10 which, when the device is in use, bears against the breast of the wearer, resilient spaced arms 11 which engage about the wearers neck, and forwardly directed resilient arms 12 carrying the chin supporting member proper 13.

The frame 10 and arms 11 are preferably formed from a single length of resilient wire bent into the form of a U having a base 14 and sides 15. The end portions forming the sides of the U are return bent and extended diagonally as shown at 16 to opposite sides of the base of the U and the terminals of said end portions are bent to extend in parallel relation with the base portion 14: and are secured thereto by means of sleeves 17, each of which, as best shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, is formed from a single strip of sheet metal bent about the adjacent portions ofv the wire and having its central portion and ends bent inwardly toward each other between the portions of wire and soldered. The portions 16 of the frame which serve as braces and which bear against the breast of the wearer, are preferably bent somewhat intermediate their length, as shown, as 18 in order to provide a slightly larger throat opening than would otherwise be formed and also to increase their resiliency. The base 14 of the frame is curved as shown to fit snugly across the breast and the end portions of the resilient arms 11 are bent rearwardly and downwardly to engage about the neck.

The chin support proper 13, includes a pair of coacting, arcuate shaped body members 19 and 20 between which is secured. the base portion 21 of a second U-shaped frame, the side portions of which form the resilient arms 12, already referred to. The base portion of this second frame is preferably reversely looped, shown in Fig. 3, to give additional strength and rigidity and the members 19 and 20 of the support are channeled to receive the loops and are secured one above and one below the frame by screws 22 which are passed upwardly through the lower member 19 and into the upper member 20, the heads of the screws being countersunk in the lower member. The sides of this second U-shaped frame are oppositely bowed and their end portions are return bent, as shown at 23 and secured to the adjacent braces 16 of the spring arms 11 by means of the sleeves 24. The points of connection of the arms 12 with the arms 11 are preferably where. the arms 11 pass over the shoulders of the wearer so that any strain exerted upon the chin supporting member 13 is borne by the shoulders.

The form shown in Figs. & and 5 of the drawings is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception of the added resilient braces 25 which, as shown, are substantially L-shaped and positioned between the arms 12 and the arms 11 to stiffen the former and give a stronger support to the chin. The ends of these braces are secured to the adjacent portions of the frames 10 and 12 by sleeves 26.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of my device will be readily understood and but slight description of its use is therefore necessary. In application, the resilient arms 11 are sprung away from each other and passed one upon either side of the neck until the frame 10 rests againstt-he breast of the wearer and the chin supporting member 13 bears beneath the chin when the arms are released and immediately spring into engagement about the wearers neck to hold the device in place. hen so applied the chin is yieldably supported by the member 13 and practically all strain upon the member 13 is transmitted to the arms 11 and supported by the shoulders of the wearer. The arms 11 engage against the base of the neck rather than about the neck itself and need not fit uncomfortably close, being in effect little more than hooks to prevent any downward shifting of the main frame.

The supporting member proper 13 may be formed of wood, vulcanized rubber or any other suitable material and may be padded or covered with flannel or other soft material, as desired. The resilient wire forming the frame of the device is either nickeled or plated to present a neat appearance and may be of any suitable gage, depending upon the strength of frame re quired.

For children the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings will give the necessary support, while the form shown in Figs. 1 and 5 is more particularly adapted for adults, the added spring braces 25 increas ing the stiffness of the support.

By forming the chin supporting member 13 arcuately to extend at its ends beyond the chin when the wearers head is in normal position, all disengagement of the device when in position on the chin is prevented, while atthe same time the head is perfectly free to turn.

It will of course be understood that the device may be made in various sizes and in slightly different shapes to adapt it to the particular requirements of the wearer, and that minor changes in the details of construction may be made, if desired, without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention.

The device is also effective as an antisnorer as it is practically impossible to snore when breathing wholly through the nose.

If desired, the parts 19 and 20 of the chin support may be secured together by gluing as well as by the screws 22. hen the chin support is formed of fiber, rubber or the like, it may be made in a single piece, be-.

ing pressed or vulcanized about the reversely bent portion of the frame 12, this manner of construction giving great strength and rigidity to the support proper.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the character described, ineluding a resilient frame adapted for detachable application against the breast and upon the shoulders of the wearer, and a yieldable chin support carried by said frame.

2. A device of the character described, including a resilient frame adapted to engage over the shoulders and bear against the breast of the wearer, forwardly extending resilient arms carried by said frame, and a chin supporting member secured upon the free ends of said arms.

3. A device of the character described, in cluding a resilient frame having spaced apart resilient arms, the end portions of which are bent rearwardly and downwardly,

a second resilient frame carried by said arms lilo and having its side portions rebent and extended diagonally and secured by their terminals to the opposite side portions of the base of the U, the rebent portions forming resilient arms and being bent rearwardly and toward each other, a second resilient frame secured to the resilient arms and extending substantially at right angles to the body portion of the first frame, and a chin supporting member carried by said second frame and in advance of the plane of the first mentioned frame.

5. A device of the character described including a breast and shoulder engaging support, and a chin rest carried by the support.

6. A device including a breast engaging support having shoulder engaging arms, a chin rest, and means directly connecting the chin rest with the shoulder engaging arms.

7. A device including a resilient breast engaging support having resilient shoulder engaging arms, of a rigid chin rest, and connecting means between the chin rest and the shoulder engaging arms of the support.

8. A device including a breast engaging support having shoulder engaging arms, and a chin rest resiliently carried by said arms.

9. A device of the character described comprising a support engaging the shoulders of the wearer, arms fixedly secured to said support, and a rigid chin rest carriedby the arms.

10. A device of the character described including a breast engaging support, a U- shaped resilient frame secured by its free ends to said support, and a chin rest rigidly secured to the base portion of said frame.

11. A device of the character described including a breast and shoulder engaging support, a U-shaped frame secured by its ends to the shoulder engaging port-ions of said support, and a. segmental chin rest carried by the base portion of said frame and adapted to exert constant upward pressure against the chin at the point thereof.

12. A device of the character described including a breast and shoulder engaging sup porting frame formed from a single piece of resilient wire, a chin rest, and connecting means between the chin rest and the shoulder engaging portions of said frame.

13. A device of the character described including a resilient frame adapt-ed to engage against the breast about the shoulders of the wearer, a chin rest, resilient connecting means between the chin rest and frame, and resilient braces between said connecting means and frame.

1 1. A device of the character described including a resilient frame having spaced arms, the terminals of which are bent rearwardly to engage over the shoulders of the wearer, a chin rest, and arms extending from the ends of the chin rest and secured by their free ends to the shoulder engaging portions of the frame, said arms extending one upon either side of the neck of the wearer.

15. A device of the character described including a U-shaped resilient frame, the free ends of said frame being directed rearwardly, downwardly and toward each other, a chin rest, and connecting means between the chin rest and therearwardly directed portions of said frame.

16. A device including a frame, means for holding the frame against the breast of the wearer, and a chin support carried by the frame and extending at an angle thereto.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. KIRKPATRICK.

WVitnesses lVALTEn R. SHAW, FRED E. PRISER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

